Despite the University's efforts to keep them out, mice are again a problem this year in campus buildings.
While this year's problem is not any worse than in previous years, several dorms have recently reported multiple mouse sightings, according to John Wilson, director of the custodial division of the Department of Facilities Management.
So far this year there have been 90 mice complaints, and 29 of these have been in dormitories, which is about the same distribution as in previous years. Minden Hall has reported the largest number of sightings, followed by Hope College.
"Each year, for the past three years, there have been approximately 250 complaints for mouse sightings," Wilson said. "This year, so far, is not significantly different from other years."
Last year, of the 48 residential halls on campus, 36 reported at least one mouse sighting. Based on this data, however, "there was no identifiable trend with respect to specific dorms having problems," Wilson said.
Though Wilson said the mouse presence on campus has not changed markedly, disruptions on campus can exacerbate the mice situation.
The construction of the Life Sciences Building, Wilson said, is the main disruption on campus this year. Construction often stirs up the mice and forces them out of their homes.
In past years, other construction and renovation projects around campus have also caused mouse problems - in the winter of 2002, for example, renovation of the boiler room in Alumnae Hall caused a mouse infestation that affected the Gate.
Doors and windows that are left open, food that is left out and little holes near the bases of buildings where mice can enter also bring the rodents into campus buildings, Wilson said. Winter weather also affects mice, forcing them to seek warmer housing in order to escape the cold. The restaurants on Thayer Street bring in mice as well, and from there the mice migrate into University buildings, Wilson said.
Wilson said Minden and Hope have more serious problems because they are older dorms and do not benefit from mouse-proof construction.
Three years ago, Facilities Management initiated a Pest and Critter Control program to address the problem of mice on campus. The program includes a protocol to deal with reports of mouse sightings and a pest control prevention program as well as other preventive measures, Wilson said.
At the time, the pest control task force attempted to close off any possible entrances for mice to get inside campus buildings. Wilson said the program resulted in a drop of 50 complaints about mice per year, from 300 to the current 250. Still, he said, the mouse problem at Brown is not worse than at other schools.
When a student reports a mouse sighting, a service order is drafted and pest control puts in mousetraps. The problem is recorded and followed up on. Usually the mouse is either caught or never seen again, Wilson said.
A University contract with New England Pest Control also aims to prevent and eradicate mice on campus. The contract provides for a "three times per week, on campus, four to five-hour service call," according to Wilson. Additionally, an immediate, "on-call" response is included in the contract, but it usually used only when other rodents, such as skunks, squirrels or raccoons, are spotted inside University buildings, Wilson said. "Mice can wait until the next day."
Wilson said students can also take their own preventive measures by regularly taking the trash out, keeping doors closed and throwing food away. Mice are most often found in the common kitchens and lounges of dorms.
Zach Rynar '06, who lives in Minden, said he thinks a mouse is living in his room. "We've seen it running by multiple times," he said. He has since called Facilities Management to report the problem.
Still, many Minden residents are not aware of the mouse presence. But several students said a mousetrap had been set up in the Minden kitchen, and one resident said a janitor had recently been by to dispose of the body of a dead mouse.
Other University buildings, including classrooms, libraries, office buildings, labs and University-owned rentals, are also affected by mice, Wilson said - on average, only one-third of the buildings affected are dorms.
And while the prevention programs and pest and critter protocol have been effective, mice are always a problem, Wilson said. "Luckily, we don't have rats," he added.
